Machine for applying wrapping materials to canisters



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MACHINE FOR APPLYING WRAPPING MATERIALS T0 CANISTERS Filed Maly 17, 1932 1'7 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 12,1934. w H, WALL 1,962,651

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MACHINE FOR APPLYING WRAPPING MATERIALS TO CANISTERS Filed May 17, 1952 17 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTQR June 12, 1934. w. H. WALL 1,962,651

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MACHINE FOR APPLYING WRAPPING MATERIALS TO CANISTERS Filed May 17, 1932 17 Sheets- Sheet 6 175 1% $156 I; LT

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MACHINE FOR APPLYING WRAPPING MATERIALS TO CANISTERS Filed May 17, 1932 l7 Sheets-Sheet 12 f y. WWW

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w. H. WALL 1,962,651

MACHINE FOR APPLYING WRAPPING MATEF- IIIIIIIIIIIII RS June 12, 1934. w. H. WALL 1,962,651

MACHINE FOR APPLYING WRAPPING MATERIALS TO CANISTERS Filed May 17, 1932 17 Sheets-Sheet 17 Patented June 12, 1934 MACHINE FOR APPLYING WRAPPING MATERIALS TO CANISTERS William Henry Wall, London, England, assignor to A. Wander Limited, London, England, a

British Company Application May 17, 1932, Serial No. 611,794 In Great Britain June 13, 1931 12 Claims.

This invention comprises improvements in automatic machines for wrapping canisters with paper or the like.

Hitherto is has been customary in the wrapping of canisters by hand, to wrap the sheet of paper or other material round the canister so as to form a cylinder of the paper encircling the canister and projecting at each end beyond the ends thereof, and then to fold over the projecting ends of the paper, pressing the folds flat against the ends of the canister.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide an automatic machine in which some of these operations are performed mechanically.

It has been found that when folding in the projecting ends of the wrapper on a cylindrical canister, particularly one of a diameter such as two inches or more, in a series of overlapping folds, neat and correct folds cannot be formed unless sharp and definite creases are first formed. When a part of the wrapper is folded in to form one fold, outstanding parts remain, and the wrapper becomes doubled on itself. It is along the line where the doubling takes place that it is desirable to form a sharp and definite crease. Accordingly, it is a further object of the invention to provide an automatic machine having means for folding in the projecting ends of a wrapper of greater width than the length of a canister which it encircles, in a series of overlapping folds, means for creasing the parts of the wrapper where it becomes doubled upon itself as a result of the folding in of one fold and means for folding in the thus creased parts to form a fold or folds overlapping previously folded in folds.

According to a feature of the invention, the aforesaid means for folding over the projecting ends of the wrapping sheet encircling the partially wrapped canister may comprise a stepby-step conveyor for moving the canisters in succession past a seri s of folding stations, the canisters pausing momentarily opposite each station, and at each station a finger or set of fingers which are reciprocable towards and away from the partly wrapped canister in position at the station and are adapted to press a portion of the said projecting end of the Wrapper into a fold against or to lie against the end of the canister, the finger or sets of fingers at the several stations being arranged to operate upon different portions of the projecting end of the wrapper.

Conveniently, the two projecting ends of the Wrapper may be folded simultaneously, in which event, there would be at each folding station, a pair of fingers or sets of fingers operable simultaneously upon the wrapper.

According to another feature of the invention there may be provided in the machine, a step or steps in advance of the folding stations in the path of the canisters, a plunger situated at the side of said path and having a pad at the end, adapted when the plunger is moved towards a canister in position at the station to flatten the folds of the Wrapper firmly against the end of the, canister.

Conveniently, as in. the case of the folding operations, the flattening of the folds of the wrapper may take place at both ends of the canister simultaneously, in which event, the ma chine would comprise a pair of flattening plungers opposed to one another, and situated one on either side of the path of the canisters.

A further feature of the invention comprises the provision in the machine, a step or steps in rear of the folding stations and situated one on either side of the path of the canisters on the conveyor, of a pair of opposed canister- 80 aligning plungers reciprocable in time with the movements of the conveyor in such a manner as, during the dwell periods in the movement of the conveyor, to enter the open ends of the Wrapper encircling the canister in position opposite the plungers, and, if the canister is not already in alignment with the folding stations, to shift it within the Wrapper into alignment therewith.

It is to be understood that the two portions of the machine which function, respectively (a) partially to wrap the canister by encircling it with a sheet of wrapping material (with or Without the insertion between said sheet and the canister of a pamphlet, coupon, card or the like), and (b) to fold over the projecting ends of the encircling sheet towards the ends of the canister and press the folded-over ends in stiff creases against the ends of the canisters, may either be brought together in one single machine, or, if desired, may comprise separate units, the partially wrapped canisters, in this event, being passed from the first unit to the second either by hand or by means of a conveyor.

One practical embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example. In this embodiment, the two foregoing parts of the machine (a) and (b) comprise separate units which will be referred to respectively, as the wrapping unit and the folding unit.

In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of part (a) of the machine, namely the wrapping unit.

Figures 2a and 22) represent side elevations of the end-folding unit shown in two parts.

FiguresSa. and 3b represent an end elevation of the same.

Figures 4 and 5 are two views in perspective of a wrapped canister showing the opposite ends thereof respectively and indicating the charactor of the folds made by the end-folding unit.

Figures 6 and 7 are details of centering apparatus in the first station of the end-folding machine.

Figures 8, 9 and 10 are details of the apparatus ,of the second station where the first fold is .made.

Figure 11 is a detail of the apparatus of the .third station.

Figures 12, 13 and 14 are details of the ap paratus at the fourth station.

Figures 15 and 16 are details of the apparatus of the fifth station.

Figures 17 and 18 are details of the apparatus of the sixth station.

Figures 19 and 20 are details of the apparatus of the seventh station.

Figures 21, 22 and 23 are details of the apparatus of the eighth station.

Figures 24, 25 and 26 are details of the apparatus of the ninth station.

Figures 27 and 28 are details of the apparatus of the tenth station.

Figure 29 is a perspective view of the eleventh station, and

Figure 30 is a plan of a part of the machine showing an alternative construction.

The wrapping unit comprises an elongated, horizontal table 10 (Figure 1) above which are mounted a pair of rails 11 parallel to one another and extending in the direction of the length of the table from a point near one end thereof to a point near the centre of the table.

This unit is more fully described in my copending patent application of even date herewith, Serial No. 611,793, but the following description will serve to make clear the main features of the machine, some of which are hereinafter referred to in the appended claims.

Canisters 12 are fed from a chute 14 on to the rails 11 through automatic releasing mechanism which comprises two detents 15, 16 pivoted at 17, 18 and automatically and alternately raised by means of earns 19 so that the canisters are allowed to pass them one at a time. The

canisters are rolled along the rails 11 by means of an endless bandor belt 23 which overlies the canisters and moves parallel to the rails 11. A gluing or cementing roller or wheel 21 is mounted on a pivot 22 above a vessel 23 which contains glue or other cement, so that the periphery of the gluing roller dips into the cement. The upper edge of the gluing roller 21 lies slightly above the level of the rails 11 and touches the periphery of the canisters 12 as they pass over it, thus depositing a narrow.

strip of the glue or other cement upon the periphery of the canister at or near the extrerne ends thereof. The belt 20 is arranged to engage the canister at the place between the 7 the ends of the rails 11 there is a downward ramp or slope 28 which serves to deliver the canisters on to the top of a pile 26 of wrappers accommodated within a vertical open top magazine 27. The canister 12 having been deposited upon the rails 11 on the top wrapper of the pile 26 is rolled across the same by the friction belt 20. The'proportions of the apparatus are such that the glued portion of the edge of the canister contacts with the edge of the wrapper 26 with which it first comes into contact and thus picks up this edge of the wrapper and in rolling forward rolls the wrapper around itself. Rollers 24;, 25 which engage the belt 20 serve to keep it at the proper distance above the rails 11 and the pile of wrappers 26 during these operations.

If desired pamphlets 30 from a magazine 31 may be laid one by one upon the pile of wrappers 26 by means of an automatic withdrawal plunger 32 so that each canister has wrapped around it within the wrapper 26 one of the pamphlets. The withdrawal. plunger 32 draws the pamphlets from the bottom of the magazine 31 and the detail of the operation of this mechanism and of other parts of the machine shown in Figure l is more fully described in copending patent application Serial No. 611,793 of even date herewith. It will be sufficient to point out herein that the plunger 32, which is viewed endwise in Figure 1, is reciprocated above the pile of wrappers 26 and that it carries a movable finger or gripper for engaging the pamphlets, having a roller 47, and a trip finger l6 lies in the path of the said roller so that the pamphlets are automatically deposited upon the pile. The plunger 32 is operated from a roclrshaft through a lever which is connected by a link 53 to a cam for operating it, which cam is 10-- cated upon a shaft 74 extending parallel to the bed 10 and upon the side of the machine which remote from the point of observation. in Figure 1. The shaft '74 is operated through a' friction clutch and gearing which in itself forms no part of the present invention.

Near the left-hand side of the pile of wrappers is a transverse gluing band 66 which runs over rollers and the underside of which closely overlies the pile of wrappers 26. At one end of its travel the gluing hand passes over and dips into a glue or cement pot 67. The effect of this band is to apply a line of glue to the left-hand edge of the wrappers as more fully.

described in the aforesaid co-pending patent application, and the canisters, after rolling the wrapper completely around themselves pass over the unglued upper side of the lower length of the gluing band 66, drawing the trailing edge of the wrapper out from underneath the gluin band and causing it to adhere to the side of the wrapper which was first attached to the canister. The wrapper is thereby glued to itself and the canisters pass on along the shelf 69 to a conveyor 93 at the exit to the machine. The conveyor 93 is supported by a ard 94 and is driven by a sprocket '95 through. gearing 96, 97 which is operated by a bevel gear on the end of the shaft '74 aforesaid.

In addition to the mechanism above described there is means for lifting a table 72 which supports the underside of the pile of wrappers 26 and thus for keeping the uppermost wrapper always at a constant level notwithstanding the continual removal of wrappers therefrom in the operation of the machine.

To this end the table 72 is supported upon a vertical rack 87 which can be raised and lowered bymeans of a pinion 89 on a shaft extending transversely to the machine below the bed 10. The shaft which carries the pinion 89 carries also a hand wheel 88 and a sprocket to mesh with a chain 91, which chain passes over pulleys to a counterweight 90. Thus the table 72 is continuously but yieldingly urged upwards. In addition to this mechanism there is a vertical rack 76 connected with the table 72 and the rack 76 meshes with the pinion 77 fast with the spur gear 78 which meshes with the pinion 79 fast to a gear 80. The gear 80 meshes with a pinion 81 on the same spindle as a ratchet wheel Thus, the rack is operated through a compound reduction train from the ratchet wheel 82. With the ratchet wheel 82 there engages a pawl pivoted on a bracket secured to the underside of the bed 10 and this pawl holds the table 72 positively from downward movement. In addi tion there is a reciprocable pawl 84 connected by a link 83 with an arm on the rockshaft 75 which operates the plunger 32. Thus, every occasion on which the plunger 32 withdraws a pamphlet from the mechanism 31 and lays it upon the pile of wrappers 26 is accompanied by a movement of the pawl 84 which lifts the table 72 and raises the pile of wrappers thereon. The compound train of gearing 76 to 82 is made of such ratio as to render this movement equivalent to the thickness of one wrapper, and therefore the top of the pile of wrappers 26 is kept in a constant position.

The partly wrapped canister. having been rolled along the horizontal shelf 69 by the friction band 20. is delivered to a conveyor 93 supported on a standard 94 and driven by a roller 95 through pinions 96, 97. The pinion 97 is fast with a bevel gear which meshes with a co-operating bevel gear on the drive shaft 74 of the machine. The conveyor serves to deliver the canisters to the folding unit of the machine which will now be described.

The folding unit which is shown in its general arrangement in Figures 2a and 21) comprises a bed plate 100 supported on standards 101, 102 and extended at the entering end of the machine beyond the standard 101 over a third standard 103. The extended portion 104 of the bed plate constitutes a convenient table where the canisters may be placed in position for operation by the machine. There is a drive shaft 106 which is actuated by a reduction gear 107, 108 from a shaft 109 which carries a belt pulley 110. The belt pulley 110 is loose upon the shaft but contains a friction clutch 111 operated by a push rod 112 from a hand lever 113. Some of these parts are best seen in Figures 3a and 3b of the drawings. Upon the end of the shaft 109 is a large hand wheel 114 by which the machine may be adjusted or tried by hand prior to applying power if desired.

Extending below the bed plate 119 along the whole length of the machine there are two lon gitudinal cam shafts 115, 116 by which the various folding mechanisms are operated. The bed plate 100 in two parts as best seen in Figure 3 with a longitudinal channel between them throughout the length of the machine. In the central longitudinal channel of the bed plate there slide a number of carriers 117 in the form of bronze castings having upstanding horns at each end shaped to receive the canisters. The carriers are secured upon a pair of chains 118, 119 which run over a small pair of idle sprockets 120 at the entering end of the machine above the standard 103 and a large pair of driving sprockets 124 at the other end of the machine. The idle sprockets 120 are mounted upon a shaft 121 carried in slidable bearings 122 which are capable of adjustment by means of screws 123 to take up slack in the chain. The driving sprockets 124 are mounted on a shaft 125 which carries at one end a five-armed star driving element 126 of well known type to co-operate with the rotating crank pin 127 on a shaft 128. The shaft 128 carries a spur wheel 129 which meshes with a second spur wheel 130 upon a cross-shaft 131 driven by a bevel gear from the shaft 115. Thus the carriers 117 are advanced intermittently by the star wheel drive 126 and the amount of the advance movement at each rotation of the crank pin 127 is made to correspond with the pitch of the carriers 117 upon the chain. Moreover, the various mechanisms which perform successive operations upon the canisters are all located at a similar pitch distance apart from one another and they are timed by the cams upon the shafts 115, 116 to operate during the periods when the chain 118 is at rest, and to be free from engagement with the canisters during the time when the said chain is in movement. Thus, in the course of their passage through the machine the canisters come successively to rest at a number of operating stations, and a single operation is performed upon each canister at each station by the mechanism, the whole series of operations resulting in completely folding in the paper wrapper at both ends of the canister and delivering it in finished condition at the outlet of the machine. There are eleven stations altogether which are distinguished in Figures 2a and 21) by roman numerals I to XI.

in addition to the above-mentioned general rive mechanism the following devices illustrated in Figures 2a and 2b and 3 are common to the greater part of the operations and can be conveniently described at this stage:-

A pair of light rails 133 are supported so as to extend throughout the length of the machine above the canisters but nearly touching them. These rails are carried on brackets 134 by means of long studs 135 so that plenty of clear space is allowed around the canisters for the varying operations.

Above the centre of each of the operating Stations 11 to IX inclusive there is a presser foot 136 carried on a vertical spindle 137 which works in a guide 138. The presser foot is best seen in Figure 2b at Station III although similar presser feet can also be seen at all the other stations. The presser feet are operated by levers 139 carried upon a rockshaft 140 which is supported in bearings 141, 142 at the two ends of the machine. ing lever 143 through a push rod 144. The push rod 144 is connected to the free end of a transverse lever 145 pivoted to a bracket 146 below the bed plate 100. Upon the lever 145 is a cam roll 147 which is operated by a cam 148 on the longitudinal shaft 116 hereinbefore referred to. The presser feet 136 are hung by swinging links 149 from a head block 150, which is slidably mounted upon the plunger 13? and yieldingly connected thereto by a spring bearing on a fixed cover 152. The effect of this arrangement is to ensure that the pressure foot 136 presses evenly along the whole length of the canister and that all the presser feet bear with the same pressure thereon. The cam 148 is so W The rockshaft 140 is actuated by a rock- 

